The Glare of Gotham Lights
by Maeve of Winter
Summary: AU. An amnesiac Beast Boy is forced to work as a thief. After relocating to Gotham, he encounters the hero known as Robin, and both of their lives are changed forever. Slash; Robin/Beast Boy.
1. Gotham City

The boy looked young, perhaps fifteen years old at most, but he fought with the skill and ferocity of a combatant with years of training and experience. The men swarmed at him, most twice his age and almost all twice his size, but he handled them with ease, dodging and darting around them, landing punches and kicks without breaking a sweat. His agility was remarkable, his timing impeccable. Acrobatics and gymnastics were woven seamlessly into his movements, and he seemed to possess an almost supernatural sense of anticipation, predicting their shots and already dancing away from them before they'd even had the chance to swing.

"He's good," observed Sal Maroni from the second story platform above the warehouse floor, taking a long drag on his cigar. One of the head bosses of the mafia within Gotham, his wealth was evident throughout every aspect of his appearance, from the wingtips of his imported leather loafers to his coolly disinterested demeanor.

"Then you're interested in retaining his services?" The eagerness was apparent in Nicholas Galtry's voice.

Maroni shook his head. "With the freaks we have running around Gotham everyday, he's got to be better than just good to make it out there. I'm not sure it's worth the investment."

"Oh, I can assure you that he's more than a match for the freaks." Galtry smirked, then called down to the boy. "Starting shifting. Nothing serious."

The blond boy suddenly vanished to be replaced by a green tiger, much to the surprise of his assailants. The tiger roared at them, halting them dead in their tracks before they began to back away with yells and swears.

Maroni's eyebrows rose. "Impressive. Can he change into anything else?"

"Any creature to ever be real or imagined," Galtry replied smugly. "He can shrink to the size of a gnat, or grow to the size of a dragon. It doesn't matter if you want a cyclops or a chupacabra, or a monkey or a mountain lion. He can shift into anything— admittedly, though, it is always green," he conceded.

"Doesn't matter what color he is," Maroni said with a dismissive wave of his hand, watching the tiger prowl around the floor. "Anyway, the work I want him doing is covert. At night— fewer questions that way."

"Of course," Galtry agreed immediately. "He'll do anything you want him to. And I do mean _anything_ you desire."

Reaching into his jacket pocket, Maroni withdrew a photo from his suit jacket and handed it to Galtry. "The cops seized one of my apartments a few weeks, looking for dirt on me. They took this ring as evidence."

"Oh, you'll find that the shapeshifter is quite skilled at retrieving evidence from police stations, sir," Galtry rushed to reassure him.

Maroni shook his head. "Nah, they dropped the charges, and all of my possessions were returned to me. Except for this ring— they told me it was lost. I think it's more like some dumb cop swiped it and hawked it to the nearest fence they could find. That's the downside of most of the police in Gotham being on my payroll— they're not exactly an upstanding bunch."

"And you wish for the ring to be found," Galtry presumed.

"Right on the money." Maroni turned toward the stairs.

"Perhaps it would be helpful, Mr. Maroni, if you could explain the significance of the ring—" Galtry began, but Maroni cut him off.

"Family heirloom. But all you need to know, Galtry, is that it's mine and I want it back," Maroni tossed him a hard look as he began down the stairs. "I want that ring returned to me as soon as possible. You and your boy," he nodded at the young shapeshifter, "will get five thousand a week as long as he works for me, with a ten thousand bonus once he finds it. If he does well with this job, I might just scrounge up some other work for him."

Galtry's eyes gleamed. "Splendid."

An unpleasant smile crossed Maroni's face. "I'll warn you once, Galtry. If either of the two of you try to screw me on this, you'll live to regret it— at least, during the short time you'll have left, anyway."

* * *

With practiced caution, Gar ascertained the coast was clear before he flew, as a bird, to the window of his apartment. Not many people resided in his neighborhood, but the ones who did were also out and about at night, and not the type he wanted to encounter. The building where he lived was condemned and mostly empty, but every once in a while, Gar saw a woman dressed in a red and black clown outfit coming or going, swinging on a grappling line and cackling with mad joy as she did so.

From the first time he'd seen her, Gar was wary. For as long as he could remember— which, admittedly, was only the past few months— Nicholas had warned him against interacting other people or attracting excess attention, advice that Gar followed to the hilt. Back when they were in Star City not too long ago, Gar hadn't been careful enough during his jobs, which brought the police to them, forcing their flight to Gotham.

Entering his small apartment through the window, Gar was greeted by the yips of the stray dog he'd found during a nighttime jaunt several weeks back.

"Easy, Cliff," he said, kneeling down to stroke the corgi's soft fur. Though he could not determine why, the name "Cliff" stood out to him, as if it was important to him, inspiring him to use it to christen the dog. "Sorry I'm late. Let's get you some dinner, huh?"

Moving through the spartan apartment, Gar picked up the cracked china bowl he used for Cliff's food and set it on the counter, filling it two-thirds of the way high with kibbles. "There you go," he said with a soft smile, setting it down in front of Cliff. He turned to put the dog food away, studying the remaining contents critically. "Looks like I'll have to out soon and buy you more food, girl." But at least he had another job and was earning money again, which was good. He'd be able to buy enough groceries, for now, anyway.

Both he and Nicholas survived on the wages he earned. Nicholas was in poor health, and because he was sick, needed Gar to help him by going out and working. In fact, Nicholas's health was extremely fragile, to the point that Gar couldn't live with him because Nicholas needed as much quiet and as little stress as possible. But Gar didn't mind having to help Nicholas out. Nicholas was the closest person Gar had to a family, and family helped one another.

Passing by the splintered mirror, the only decoration on the walls of his sparse apartment, Gar caught a glimpse of his reflection. He hadn't been aware of it, but he'd shifted back to his normal human form, the one with fair skin, blue eyes, and blond hair. But while this appearance was the one he used to go outside during the day when he needed, to be normal, being in this form was strange. Not that it felt physically strange— it didn't feel at all different from his green human form. But whenever he saw himself in his blond form, either in mirrors or store windows, the sight startled him.

Not that it was unfamiliar . . . oddly enough, his blond form seemed almost _too_ familiar, as if it reminded him of someone, but he couldn't quite recall who. Every once in a while, Gar shifted into that human form and gazed at himself in the mirror, studying his reflection, trying to figure out just who it was that his blond self was reminiscent of, but never to any success.

"But I'll figure it out," Gar promised himself aloud. "Some day soon, I'll know the truth."

Of course, part of the problem was that Gar couldn't remember very much of anything. He knew his name, "Gar," as Nicholas told him, and he knew that Nicholas was caring for him because his parents died a long time ago. But none of Gar's memories went further back than a few months ago, when Nicholas found him. But Gar's parents, his other family, even people he supposed he should have remembered— he couldn't remember them ever existing.

Sometimes, there were instances when Gar was sure he was remembering; there was a time when he saw a smiling young woman with auburn hair walking hand-in-hand with a redheaded man, and another when he saw a NASCAR race playing on the storefront televisions when passing an electronics store. But beyond creating a vague sensation of familiarity, Gar's mind was blank. He couldn't at all figure out why those images would be important to him.

A loud growl from his stomach reminded Gar that he should eat dinner before leaving for work, and he moved to the cupboard, withdrawing a bag of rice for his meal. As he prepared the grains, he surveyed his apartment. It wasn't much— a studio-style with a bathroom and a kitchenette. For meals, he used a card table with a folding chair; for sleeping, he had an inflatable mattress with sheets and blankets; and for relaxing, he'd culled some tumbling mats from a nearby high school and stacked them in the center of the room to serve as a couch. Cliff had her own bed, a fancy one, just for dogs, that Gar had bought at the pet store with some of the money Nicholas gave him from working.

At the thought of work, Gar sighed. Usually, he was stealing— so his goal this time, searching for a lost ring, was an improvement. It wasn't that he wanted to break the law, but Nicholas told him there was no other way for Gar to earn enough money to pay for Nicholas's medical treatments.

But at the end of the day, Gar reasoned, Nicholas was the only family he had, and it was important that Gar help him.

And maybe, once he finished the job of locating Maroni's ring, Maroni would give him better work— legal work that paid well, so Gar no longer had to break the law.

"I'd like that, to work inside the law, for a change," Gar said to himself, as Cliff nudged at him with her paw, trying to earn a taste of the rice cooking on the stovetop. He reached down and picked up Cliff, cuddling her close. "I'd like that a lot."


	2. Shape-changing

Being outside at night was exciting, Gar decided, as he leapt from rooftop to rooftop as a flying squirrel. There was a distinct excitement, an energy humming in the night air, brought on by the sight of the bright lights from cars, lampposts, and flashing signs, cutting through the darkness.

It was freedom, Gar decided, as he shifted back to his green form and paused to lean against a nearby gargoyle, gazing out over the city of Gotham. Being out at night was almost a disguise, granting him the ability to be incognito, to go unnoticed.

Upon reaching his destination, Gar shrunk down into the shape of a spider and slipped into the ventilation shaft. He quickly shifted into a mouse and darted through the vent until he found an exhaust tile just behind the shop counter, where he dropped down from the ceiling, again as a spider.

Swiftly scrutinizing the counter's contents, Gar was able to determine that the desired ring was not present. A thorough survey of the remaining pawn shop contents was also fruitless.

"One down, plenty more to go," Gar said with a sigh. Then he cheered. "But I like a challenge," he told the otherwise empty store.

Throughout the night, Gar continued his rounds, searching for the lost ring. Pawn shops were a dime a dozen in Gotham, too many to hit in one night, even with his enhanced abilities, but Gar had a system he followed to ensure that he was regularly checking each and every store.

However, the ring was nowhere to be found in any of the stores for that night, and Gar was just leaving his last target in favor of his apartment, aware that dawn would soon light the horizon. But sounds of a struggle, emitting from less than a block away, drew his attention.

"Sounds like trouble." Gar only hesitated for a moment before he reached a conclusion. "And I know what it's like to be in trouble."

Though Gar was careful to take steps to avoid interacting with anyone else during his nocturnal activities, whenever he heard or saw someone in trouble, his first instinct was to rush to help them, an impulse that he always followed. Once, he found a pair of children being menaced in alley, and Gar, as a velociraptor, chased off the gang members approaching them. He then shifted into a pterodactyl and flew the children home. Another time, when a gunman was threatening a couple, demanding their wallets, Gar charged in as a lion and knocked the weapon from the mugger's hand, frightening him away.

Why he wanted to help people, Gar couldn't explain. But it felt right, natural, as if it were something he'd been doing for a long time.

This night, as Gar approached, flying over the scene as a falcon, a monstrous-looking creature was advancing on a fallen teenager. He was lying prone on the ground as if unconscious, and lumbering towards him was some sort of hideous being that was half-man, half-beast and covered in grayish-green scales.

Without a moment's hesitation, Gar dive-bombed the monster, shifting into a sabertoothed tiger and pouncing on his back, drawing the creature's attention away from the fallen teen onto himself.

"Back off!" Gar hissed, swiping at the creature's neck with his paw before releasing him and falling

The creature whirled and started toward him, snarling, but Gar immediately transformed into a tyrannosaurus, welcoming the creature's attack with a ferocious roar.

This action sent the creature into retreat, and Gar maintained his defense until the creature vanished into the fading darkness. Once the monster, whatever it was, had gone, Gar shifted back to his green human form and ran to help the injured boy, who was already stirring.

"Are you all right?" Gar asked concernedly. "Don't try to stand just yet. Sit down for a few minutes if you need to."

"I'm fine," the teen replied, rubbing at his face with his hands. Tall, well-built, and dark-haired, he cut an impressive figure, and though his eyes were obscured by a mask, Gar would have guessed he was handsome. He was obviously athletic, his muscles emphasized by a skintight outfit that was mostly red, but also featured highlights of green and yellow. The combination reminded Gar of a traffic light.

The teen tried to stand, and Gar immediately moved to help him.

"Here, lean on me if you need to," Gar offered.

"Thanks." The teen turned to look at him for the first time, and did a double-take.

Noticing the teen's reaction, Gar could not help but feel a rush of self-consciousness. By all accounts, he must have appeared as sort of of urchin. His clothing was once a form-fitting black jumpsuit Nicholas gave to him especially for work, one that would stay intact while shapeshifting. But even though Nicholas only gifted the suit to him a few months ago, Gar was already outgrowing it, so he'd tried to make modifications.

Separating the jumpsuit into two pieces, pants and a shirt, Gar had then cut off the arms of the shirt to add onto to the legs of the pants, extending the length. The shirt was summarily mended into a vest, of which the halves didn't quite meet in the middle and had to be laced in place with a cord. The alteration exposed a wide vertical line of Gar's bare flesh from his clavicle to his navel, and because the vest was also too short, a good few inches of his midriff. With Gar's growth, the suit, already formfitting, now showcased every inch of his body. Realizing the picture he must make, Gar suddenly felt shy.

To his credit, the dark-haired teen recovered quickly. "I haven't seen you around before," he said casually.

Gar brightened. "Oh, hey! I haven't seen you before, either."

The teen chuckled. "Thanks for helping me with Killer Croc. My name's Robin, by the way. And I guess we normally wouldn't run into each other— not unless you're a nocturnal animal like me."

 _Killer Croc._ Gar filed the name away in his mind for future reference. And then this boy's name was Robin. For whatever reason, Gar instinctively wanted to like him, wanted to trust him, even though it felt strange to be speaking to someone who was not Nicholas. "Actually," he said, trying not to appear overeager, "I'm usually out at night. It's when I work."

"Really?" Robin seemed curious about Gar's statement, but before he could speak further, the first light of dawn ebbed above the eastern horizon, bringing the both of them to glance in that direction, startled.

"I have to get home," Gar told Robin.

"Me, too. I've got to make curfew," Robin said with a smile. He gestured to a nearby red motorcycle. "Would you like a ride?"

"Thanks, but I'm fine," Gar said, morphing into a cheetah and setting off.

"Wait!" Robin called after him. "You never told me your name!"

"I'm Gar!" He answered over his shoulder, before changing into a hawk and soaring into the lightening sky.

* * *

Just before day prevailed over the dark, seventeen-year-old Dick Grayson raced into the Batcave on his motorcycle. Halting the bike and taking off his helmet, he yawned and stretched, exhausted by the previous night's activities.

"I expected to return earlier, Master Dick," Alfred observed, walking to up to meet him with a cup coffee. "I presume patrol wasn't routine?"

Dick sighed. "Everyone and their mother was out terrorizing the city last night, I swear. The sooner Bruce gets back from space, and Barbara returns from Metropolis, the better." He reconsidered for a moment. "Then again, only a few minutes ago, I got some help in warding off Killer Croc from an unexpected source."

"Oh?" Alfred raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah." Dick moved to the computer console. "A metamorph— a green one. I didn't catch his age, but he looked like he was a few years younger than me, and he told me his name was Gar. I don't know what he was doing or why he chose to help me, but I want to find out who he is."

"I've not heard of anyone like you described," Alfred said. "However, there is that Martian Manhunter fellow, isn't there? And I believe he has a niece slightly younger than you, as well."

"Hmm." Dick was already typing away at the computer. "Thanks, Alfred. It certainly wouldn't hurt to consult with both of them. Although, thinking about it, I just might go out looking for Gar again tonight."


	3. Rescue

Five nights after his first encounter with Robin, Gar again happened upon him by chance— this time because thieves were robbing the very store he was supposed to be checking. This pawn shop was on the waterfront, within close proximity to the docks, no doubt placed strategically so sailors could quickly fence merchandise just before setting off.

Upon arrival, Gar didn't waste any time rushing to Robin's aid. One transformation into a fire-breathing dragon had the thieves running scared, and another shift, this time into a Hekatonkheire, let him grab multiple thieves with its numerous hands as they tried to make their escape.

"Gar!" Robin shouted to get his attention, before tossing him several cords and then sprinting off after the burglars who were running toward the docks.

"Noted!" Gar called back, before returning to the task at hand.

Moving swiftly, Gar lashed the thieves to the nearby lampposts and then, as a cheetah, dashed off after Robin. He could see him not far off, trying to take on two thieves at once— then, to Gar's horror, a third man emerged from the night's fog, wielding a metal pipe.

"Look out!" Gar shouted urgently, but he was too late. The man swung and struck, sending Robin flying off of the dock and into the murky water. The thieves hastening into an awaiting speedboat and, with a roar of the motor, raced off into the mist looming over the ocean.

Pushing himself to his maximum speed, Gar leapt off of the end of the dock, morphing into a dolphin the instant his back paws lifted into the air. Plunging into the dim water, for an eternal moment, Gar could not spot Robin. Then, just as he was beginning to panic, he spotted the red-clad form sinking directly beneath the pier, almost obscured by the shadows. Immediately, Gar rocketed toward him, transforming into a sailfish as he did, and, once he reached Robin, shifted again, this time into a mereman. Wrapping his arms securely around Robin's waist, he pressed the unconscious form against his torso and rapidly oscillated his tail. The force propelled them towards the surface of the water, and Gar angled the two of them to break right beside a maintenance ladder along the edge of the pier.

The moment they surfaced, Gar transformed again, this time into an angel, and with a strong flap of his wings, launched the two them out of the water and onto the dock. Laying Robin down, Gar held an ear to his chest and fingers to his carotid, checking for breathing, shifting away his wings as he did.

"Please be okay, please be okay, please be okay," Gar begged.

A pulse. But no breathing.

With automatic movements, as if he were acting on instinct, Gar quickly tilted Robin's head back, confirmed that his airway was clear of obstructions, and gave two experimental breaths. The breaths went in; he could see Robin's chest rise and fall with oxygen, thus he continued the process, carefully waiting three second between breaths. Then, he drew in as much air into his lungs as he could and transferred the oxygen to Robin.

"You're going to be fine," Gar told him, even though he knew Robin couldn't hear him. "Don't worry. I'll make sure you're okay."

In the back of his mind, Gar could not help but question why the actions felt routine to him, or how he came to acquire knowledge of first aid. But his first priority was Robin, who couldn't afford for Gar's attention to be divided.

Finally, just when Gar was beginning to despair, there was movement: Robin suddenly turned on his side, away from Gar, coughing up the remaining water in his lungs. Then he painstakingly rolled back over to his back, looking up at Gar with a weak smile.

"That's the second time you've saved me," he rasped. "Guess it's a good thing we keep running into each other, huh?"

Gar smiled warmly at Robin. "Happy to help." He eased Robin into a sitting position. "If I hold you, do you think you could stand?"

"Yeah." Carefully, Robin pushed himself off the ground, and Gar rose with him, gently placing his arm around Robin's waist and Robin's arm around his shoulders, taking most of his weight. Though he easily could have morphed into a gorilla to carry Robin, or a horse for Robin to ride, he didn't want to risk accidentally hurting him, particularly since he'd already been injured once tonight, only a few minutes ago.

Slowly, Gar eased the barely-conscious Robin away from the docks toward the street, though he had no idea of what they should do once they arrived at their destination. Robin's motorcycle was nowhere in sight, and he didn't seem well enough to ride it even if it were there.

But someone needed to be calm and take control of the situation, and Robin was injured. That left the job to Gar.

They reached the road, and just as Gar opened his mouth to speak, a low-slung black car careened around the corner, screeching to a halt just in front of them.

Tensing, Gar prepared for a fight, ready to defend Robin if the situation required it of him. But Robin seemed to drift into awareness at the car's approach.

"Batman?" He murmured in question, and Gar glanced at him quizzically. _Who?_

Even before the the car's tires had fully stopped turning, part of the roof retracted and a black-clad figure leapt out, a long cape billowing out behind him. Preparing for a fight, Gar tensed further, anxiety coiling within him; he wasn't supposed to be spotted, and not only was he helping Robin fight off criminals left and right, but now another person had seen him.

The figure was tall and imposing, wearing a skintight outfit that clearly displayed his musclebound frame and a mask that covered most of his face. "Robin!" His voice was a deep, commanding bass, one that Gar could tell was accustomed to giving orders.

At the exclamation of the newcomer, Gar's mind began whirling. Robin seemed to recognize him, and this person seemed to recognize Robin. But what if it was a trick, intended capture Robin when he was injured and unable to fight back?

He couldn't take the risk. Angling Robin's form away from the black-clad figure, Gar glared at him. "I won't let you hurt Robin!" He told him defiantly.

The declaration drew the attention of the dark figure, who began to close the distance between them and himself.

"I'm not going to hurt him," the dark figure said. "But as you can see, he's injured. He needs medical attention. I'm going to make sure he's all right."

Gar hesitated. Robin _was_ wounded and needed treatment as quickly as possible. Gar could not treat Robin himself; not only did he lack knowledge, but he also would require specialized equipment, which his sparse apartment did not feature.

True, Gar did not know this person in black, but at least Robin had more of a chance with him than he did with Gar.

"Do you promise you'll help him?" Gar asked warily, as the figure came to stand right across from him.

"I promise," the figure said solemnly.

Though his stomach twisted with guilt, Gar nodded, removing Robin's arm from his shoulders as the figure reached out to take him. He eased Robin into the figure's hold and then stepped back, away from the two of them.

"Take care," Gar said softly, before shifting into a bat and flying off into the night. The figure called after him, but Gar paid him no mind, his sole concentration on escaping into the shadows of the night.


	4. Late Hours

Throughout the entire next day, there wasn't a moment where Gar wasn't wringing his hands over the previous night's events with Robin. Again and again, he berated himself for leaving Robin to the mercy of that stranger, only to circle back to the same conclusion: he'd had little choice but to let that man take Robin. After all, Gar desperately tried to reason with himself, the man had intended to give Robin medical treatment, which Gar could not give to him. By letting him take Robin, Gar attempted to reassure himself, Robin would have at least had a chance of receiving the care his injury required. More of a chance than he'd had with Gar.

Still, Gar spent the entire day anxiously pacing about his apartment, willing for the sun to set so night could come. Cliff tried to calm him, cuddling up against Gar when he laid down on the mattress, prodding him with her cold nose, but it was all Gar could do to absentmindedly stroke her head.

Never before had Gar been so jubilant as when the twilight arrived, practically quivering with the urge to go out and find Robin. Just for the night, he reluctantly decided, it would be acceptable to put off his search for the ring. Robin's health and safety were more important. However, he could not ignore the wave of guilt that washed over him at his conclusion. Nicholas, the only parent Gar ever had known, was ill, and Gar was neglecting his responsibilities toward him.

But Robin was important, too, Gar reasoned. Robin was important because . . . because . . .

Truthfully, Gar wasn't sure why Robin was important to him. Possibly, it was because Robin was the only person beyond Nicholas with whom Gar had had a significant interaction. Though Gar's memories extended only a few months, Nicholas was the only person Gar could recall regularly communicating with him. And while Gar knew that supporting Nicholas was important, and that Nicholas's life was in danger, but living on his own and only emerging at night for work was a lonely way for Gar to pass the time.

But Robin—he was kind and friendly, welcoming Gar, acting grateful for his help in a way that Nicholas didn't. Plus, he was always out at night, just like Gar was—maybe the two of them could meet regularly to spend time together. Or maybe, just maybe, the two of them could even be friends.

With a goodbye hug to Cliff and a quick check to make sure that she had both water and food, Gar leapt out of his window, ready to start his hunt. Soaring over Gotham as a peregrine falcon, he made use of his enhanced hearing and trained his ears carefully to catch Robin's voice. After nearly an hour of canvassing the city, he finally detected Robin, with several other people, standing on the rooftop of an abandoned apartment building. Swooping down to the next roof over, Gar decided to observe for a few minutes to determine if Robin at all needed his help.

Four others stood with Robin, three boys and a girl, all looking about the same age, perhaps seventeen or eighteen. Red was a prominent color in all of their attire, which was skintight suits like Robin's. Two of the boys were redheads, and one of them, as well as the lone girl, wore outfits that were nearly entirely red. The other redhead wore red pants with a yellow shirt, and the remaining boy, dark-haired with violet eyes, was clad in a red shirt but with blue pants. All wore boots of varying colors.

All of them held bags and cups of takeout food and drink, occupied with both eating and talking. Gar's stomach growled at the scent, reminding him of how little he was able to eat during the day, too tense with anxiety to enjoy a meal.

" . . . so Arthur says all of you are welcome at the royal Atlantean place anytime," the dark-haired, violet-eyed boy was saying to his companions.

One of the redhead boys, who carried a bow with a quiver of arrows slung on his back, welcomed the invitation. "I just might move in with you, Garth. I can't even begin to tell you how sick I am of coming home to an empty apartment."

"But Ollie was supposed to be back last week, right?" asked the other redhead boy. "Uncle Barry was thrilled that he'd get to see Hal again. But I don't think he's a big fan of Ollie, no offense."

The entire group laughed, and as their happiness became apparent, Gar could not suppress a sharp stab of envy. The friendship between the group was evident, a camaraderie he could never recall experiencing but longed to be a part of. And here was Robin in the thick of it.

Gar sighed, turning away from the group and taking off into the sky. What use did Robin have for him when he was already surrounded by friends? Furthermore, what would he want with someone like Gar, who couldn't even remember his own past?

He touched down on the roof of the closest targeted store and was just about to slip inside when he caught conversation from a few men lurking around the street below.

"—don't see why we're not helping the boss—"

"It's a distraction, don't you get it? That's why he took the others to the museum." The statement was punctuated by the sound of glass shattering and the blare of an alarm shrilling through the night air.

Vaulting over the side of the building, Gar landed as a jaguar, his thoughts whirling. A distraction— that meant the men and their boss, whoever it was, was trying to fool Robin.

With no hesitation, Gar launched himself through the shattered window, much to the astonishment of the three thieves. The men barely had time to yelp in surprise before Gar shifted into an ogre and bellowed at them, pushing forward until he had the three of them backed into a corner. Though they cowered in fear, Gar growled savagely at them for effect.

"Freeze!" The authoritative shout emitted from the entryway, and Gar's spirits rose at the sound of Robin's voice. With his hearing, he could tell that Robin's four friends were still with them.

"Hi, Robin!" He said cheerfully, shifting back to his default form. "I caught these guys trying to break in— but they're just a diversion. Some of their gang is actually going to rob a museum."

"Got it, Gar. Wally, would you—" Before Robin could finish, there was a whirlwind of movement in front of Gar, and he blinked at the thieves suddenly became tied up faster than he could see. Turning, he looked fully at Robin and his group.

"We should go to the museum," the only girl opined, floating in mid-air.

"We should be cautious." The violet-eyed boy sent a wary glance Gar's way. "It might be a trap."

"Wonder Girl, take Aqualad and have Kid Flash check the nearby museums. Speedy and I will wait here for the police," Robin ordered.

Another burst of wind emitted as one of the redheads abruptly vanished, and the one referred to as "Wonder Girl" grabbed the dark-haired boy and took off with him into the sky.

"I'll bring these three outside." Gar started toward the trio of burglars, but Robin halted him.

"Leave them and come outside with me. Speedy, stand guard." He ducked out of the storefront, and Gar followed. Adopting the role of sentry, the remaining redhead— Speedy, Gar presumed— leaned against the front door jamb, one leg bent up and his arms crossed over his chest.

Robin offered Gar a smile, and gave him a friendly clap on the shoulder. "Thanks for pulling me out of the bay the other night. That's three for three times you've helped me. It's almost like you're my guardian angel."

A thrill zipped through Gar at Robin's praise, and his heart jumped at his touch. Even though Robin had his other friends, Robin still liked him . "No problem," he replied, beaming.

"I wouldn't make too many celestial comparisons, Rob," Speedy cut in from the entrance. He nodded at Gar. "I've seen this one from surveillance tapes around Star City— he was repoing for Brick. Green Arrow and I were tracking him for a while, but he skipped town before we could meet him face-to-face." Disdain dripped from his voice. "And exactly what were you doing here tonight that you just so happened to catch these thieves?"

" 'Repo,' " Gar repeated blankly. "Repossession?" He glanced uncertainly from Speedy to Robin. "Like, drug possession? Repossession . . . would that be being caught by the police for possessing drugs twice in a row? Another time after the first?"

Speedy stared at him, disbelief written on all his features that weren't hidden by his domino mask. " Evidence repossession. You would break into police stations and steal proof that could've been used to convict criminals. Like you don't know that."

Heat rose in Gar's face. What would Robin think of him now?

"Nicholas tells me what work I have to do," he explained shamefacedly. "I don't ask why or what the reason is. I just know that people will give us money if I do what Nicholas says. Like how I'm working for Maroni now."

"Sure, sure." The roll of Speedy's eyes, though not visible due to his mask, was evident in his tone.

"Who's Nicholas?" Robin questioned with concern. "Your father?"

"My guardian," Gar told him. "I don't know that I ever had a father, but Nicholas is the closest thing I've got now. He's sick, so I have to work because he can't. I have to pay for his medicine."

"That's got to be the least original sob story I've ever heard," Speedy bluntly commented.

Robin shot him a warning look before turning back to Gar. "Do you ever meet the people you work for, Gar?" Robin asked kindly.

Gar shook his head. "They meet Nicholas, and sometimes Nicholas brings me to them, but only so he can show me off. 'Showcase my talents' is what he calls it. And then Nicholas calls me on this special phone and tells me what to do, what it is those people want."

Robin frowned. "You don't live with Nicholas?"

"No. Nicholas has to live alone for his health. I live by myself. Well, except for Cliff," Gar amended. To Robin and Speedy's quizzical looks, he elaborated. "My dog. She was a stray, so I took her home."

"What kind of phone is it?" Speedy asked casually.

Gar thought for a moment. He didn't frequently use the phone; Nicholas was the only person to call him, and he didn't appreciate taking Gar's calls in return. Besides him, there was no one for Gar to call. "Net10," he responded finally.

"Prepaid," Speedy muttered, possibly just to himself.

"You said you don't know if you ever had a father," Robin said gently. He placed his hand on Gar's shoulder. "Why don't you, Gar? Where are your parents?"

Too many questions. Nervously, Gar ducked away from Robin's touch, backing up in the opposite direction. He couldn't help but notice as he inhaled Robin's scent: a woodsy smell that pushed ideas of autumn into Gar's mind, of leaves crunching underfoot and cool morning dew on the grass. Yet he couldn't waste time thinking about that. "I've stayed too long already. I have to leave."

"I understand," Robin said calmly. "Thanks again for all your help, Gar. Don't be afraid to come to me for help if you need it."

"You're welcome," Gar replied with a smile of relief before morphing into a hummingbird and flitting away.

* * *

Not an hour later, Dick and the others gathered around the immense dining room table at Wayne Manor to enjoy the breakfast spread Alfred had arranged for them.

"These pancakes are delicious." Garth grinned at Alfred. "You're the best, Alfred!"

"And the parfait is simply divine!" Donna said enthusiastically. "Thank you so much for all of lovely food, Alfred. You spoil us!"

"I'm glad you're enjoying the meal," Alfred replied with a gracious smile. "I think it's wonderful that while the five of you have officially disbanded the Teen Titans, you still make time to visit with each other."

However, the remainder of the quintet was more occupied with shop talk than pleasantries.

"What's this Roy is saying about you letting a criminal go free?" Wally asked Dick, one red eyebrow rising quizzically.

"That was Gar. He's not your average criminal. He's already saved me twice, and you saw that he helped us out last night," Dick began, but Roy interrupted.

"If you want my opinion, he's nothing more than a henchman. He was helping the leaders of organized crime in Star City escape justice left and right by stealing the evidence the police were planning to use against them." Roy shook his head in disgust. "If it weren't for your Gar, Brick would be serving life in prison by now."

"I don't think Gar realizes what he's doing is wrong," Dick theorized. "You heard him, Roy. He said he doesn't remember his parents, and he has no one but Nicholas, his guardian, who he thinks he has to support through crime. It certainly doesn't sound like Nicholas has Gar's best interests in mind. And besides, Gar's gone out of his way to help me several times, now—I would have died without him at least one of those times."

"So, what's your ultimate conclusion on him?" Garth inquired.

Dick shrugged. "Gar doesn't appear malicious, just a little bit shifty. Batman mostly agrees with that assessment—he met Gar very briefly when Gar saved me from drowning the night before last. But I tried to trace Gar's origin to little success. Like Roy says, Gar first appeared in Star City a few months ago, working for Brick, but it doesn't seem like he at all existed anytime before that."

"Maybe his powers only surfaced a few months ago," Donna suggested. "A green shapeshifter would draw attention, but just a regular boy wouldn't."

"Maybe." Dick looked around at them all. "I'm going to do some further investigations on Gar, but Batgirl is off with Supergirl, and Batman left yesterday for a case. Are any of you free?"

Donna shook her head. "Diana and I have a UN meeting."

"I have to attend a company picnic for my dad's job," Wally said, misery apparent in his voice.

Garth scowled. "The Trenchers are expanding their territory again, and I have to go force them back."

"I've got band practice with Great Frog," Roy said. "But Ollie and Hal are supposed to be back from their road trip today. The keywords there are 'supposed to.' But if they are, they could help you with the Brick connection."

Robin nodded. "That's a good idea. I'll give them a call. Gar mentioned a 'Nicholas' who arranged his jobs— if Gar was working for Brick, then Nicholas must have known Brick as well."


End file.
